Third edition brings together founders, investors and policymakers to explore climate finance, cultural enterprises, AI and digital infrastructure beyond the metros
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India (NewsVoir)
India’s next generation of entrepreneurs is emerging from its smaller cities, towns and villages, building businesses that solve local problems and serve national markets. Bringing this ecosystem together, Aavishkaar Foundation and Intellecap will host the third edition of Sankalp Bharat on October 28 at Clarks Avadh, Lucknow.
A delegation from Aavishkaar Group and Intellecap, led by Vineet Rai and U.K. Sinha, met the UP Chief Minister during the 2nd Sankalp Bharat Summit in Lucknow on Dec. 12, 2025
Themed “The Bharat Story: Climate, Culture & Compute”, the summit will convene over 600 founders, investors, institutions and policymakers to explore the opportunities shaping India’s next growth story.
Entrepreneurs building Bharat
The summit opens with Manu Nair, founder of reusable-rocket company EtherealX. Bharat Bol, the founder series, will feature Surya Prakash Yadav (UnORG, Lucknow), Tanutejas Saraswat (ShopKirana, Indore, acquired by Udaan), Divya Hegde (Baeru, Udupi), Prof. Nagaraja Prakasam (Nativelead, Madurai), Mausmi Ambastha (Shifu Foundation, Patna) and Tushar Suhalka (Regrip, Jaipur/Gurugram).
Vineet Rai, Founder and Vice Chairman, Aavishkaar Group, said, “The people closest to a problem are building India’s best solutions, in climate, space tech, AI and livelihoods alike. Our job is to bring them the capital, markets and institutions to turn a good idea from a small town into a national company.”
Rooted in Uttar Pradesh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
Aavishkaar Foundation’s programmes across 25 districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh have reached 30,000+ students in 500+ government schools and colleges. Its Entrepreneur Investment Programme has backed 40 first-generation entrepreneurs, 80% women, including Pravidhaan Farmer Producer Company in Gorakhpur, supporting 2,000 farmers, and Shiksha Saathi in Varanasi, connecting 237+ schools and 6,700+ learners.
At Sankalp Bharat, the EIP’s young entrepreneurs will also present their ideas before a jury of investors, policymakers and established founders.
Lisa Rodricks, CEO, Aavishkaar Foundation, said, “What is exciting is the problems these entrepreneurs are choosing to solve. They are building businesses around real needs in manufacturing, agriculture, skilling and livelihoods. Sankalp Bharat gives us a chance to put these stories and their potential on a larger stage as we create the next phase of India’s entrepreneurial growth.”
